This invention relates to new and useful improvements for the removal of larvae in cocoon form from between individual boards forming a hive section. Conventionally, such work has been expensive and unpleasant particularly when the frames are designed for a specific bee specie such as the leaf cutter bees comprise individual boards having spaced and parallel crests and slots on either side thereof which, when stacked, define longitudinal extending substantially cylindrical bores therebetween into which the leaf cutter bees deposit their larvae in cocoon form.
Attempts have been made in the past to clean such boards mechanically, the closet art known to applicant being U.S. Pat. No. 3,965,509. However in this particular patent, the boards are forced past projecting pins in order to clean the larvae from the grooves and adjustability is difficult in order to ensure that the grooves are cleaned but at the same time preventing damage according to the boards, particularly when same are manufactured from styrofoam rather than wood.
The present invention overcomes difficulties inherent with hand cleaning and devices such as that shown in the above identified U.S. Patent and one aspect of the invention is to provide apparatus for cleaning and removing cocoons from the slots of hive frames of the type formed by a plurality of boards stacked together to define a plurality of spaced and parallel elongated substantially cylindrical bores; comprising in combination a supporting framework, a source of power in said framework, an upper input raceway supported in said framework, a board shearing and slot cleaning assembly in said framework at the inner end of said upper raceway, means in said assembly adjacent the inner ends of said upper raceway for supporting the underside of the board immediately adjacent the innermost board of said hive section on said upper raceway, means in said assembly for engaging the upper side of the innermost board of said hive section, separating same from said hive section in shearing motion and moving said innermost board downwardly, guide means in said assembly guiding said innermost board downwardly, a front comb mounted on the lower ends of said guide means and extending across said assembly, a mating further comb assembly mounted in said framework and extending across said framework, said innermost board being engaged by said comb assemblies one on each side thereof, whereby cocoons in slots are retained as said board moves past said comb assemblies, means to remove said cocoons from adjacent said comb assemblies, a lower raceway to receive said cleaned boards, and means to move said board from below said comb assemblies to said lower raceway.
With the foregoing in view, and other advantages as will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relates as this specification proceeds, the invention is herein described by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, which includes a description of the preferred typical embodiment of the principles of the present invention, in which: